A treatise concerning the properties and offices of the true Church of Christ VVritten in Latin, by the reuerend Father Iames Gordon Huntley of Scotland, Doctour of Diuinity, of the Society of Iesus. And translated into English, by I.L. of the same Society. The first part of the second controuersy

CHAP. VIII. (Book 8)

That there is no lawfull calling of Prea∣chers, or Pastours of the Church, but by the visible Church. (Book 8)

ONE of the offices of the true Church is to appoint lawfull preachers of the Ghospell and true administers of the Sacra∣ments. But because there is no small Controuersy now a dayes concerning this office, we will briefely dispatch it. But to the end that which is in Con∣trouersy may the better be vnderstood, heere are three thinges to be determined. First, that the calling of God is necessa∣rily required, to the end one may become a lawfull preacher, or administer the Sa∣craments.* 1.1 For those words of the Apostle are very cleare and manifest. How shall they preach, vnlesse they be sent? And againe. Ney∣ther doth any man take the honour to himselfe, but he that is called of God, as Aaron. So Christ also did not glorify himselfe, that he might be made a high Priest but he that spake to him,* 1.2 My sonne art thou &c. Wherefore he who without this lawfull calling and mission dareth pre∣sume

to intrude himself to meddle with these diuine offices, preferreth himself be∣fore Christ our Lord. For Christ came not to these offices, but called and sent by his eternall Father. Lastly if in humane and wordly matters none dare meddle with the affaires or busynes of a Prince with∣out his licence and consent, much lesse must any deale with these supernaturall and diuine offices, vnlesse he be called and sent for that purpose by God him∣selfe.

2. The second is, that there are two kinds of callings by God, the one extraor∣dinary, the other ordinary. The extraor∣dinary calling is when God immediatly by himselfe calleth any, & in this māner God called Moyses, & the other Prophets, & Christ called his Apostles. This is called extraordinary, because it seldome hapneth. It is tearmed also an immediate vocatiō, because it is done immediatly by God himselfe. The ordinary vocation is that which cōtinueth alwaies in the Church and is done immediatly by the Pastors of the Church, and of God only by their meanes. Hereupon also this is called a mediate vocatiō, to wit in respect of God. This diuision is taken out of S. Paul, who writeth himselfe to be an Apostle, not of

men, neyther by man, but by Iesus Christ, and God the Father.* 1.3 For by these wordes he sheweth that some which are in the Church are called to the diuine offices by me••, and some by God himselfe.

3. The third is, that those who are taken to Ecclesiasticall offices by the ordi∣nary vocation they receyue their calling and authority from the Church. For this ordinary vocation is not done but by the ministers of the Church. But the whole Controuersy is of the extraordinary vo∣cation. For those who in this age haue brought in new opinions, seeing them∣selues destitute of the ordinary vocation, they fly vnto the extraordinary, the which, say they, must not be subiect to the censure, and approbation of the Church, wherof they know themselues to be destitute. But we of the other side affirme, that the extraordinary vocation also must necessarily be confirmed and approued by such as haue ordinary voca∣tion in the Church of God. And we know very well, that our Aduersaries haue not truly this extraordinary voca∣tion, as afterward we will declare more at large. But suppose we graunt them to haue this extraordinary calling, neuerthe∣lesse by these ensuing arguments we will

manifestly proue, that it must needs be confirmed and approued by those who haue their ordinary vocation in the Church of God.

4. The first argument.* 1.4 S. Paul was immediatly and extraordinarily called by God, as he writeth himselfe, and yet he was sent to Anainas who had the ordina∣ry vocation,* 1.5 that by him he might be in∣structed and baptized. And afterwards together with S. Barnabas he was ordai∣ned by the imposition of hands by those who were the ordinary Pastors of the Church.* 1.6 Lastly he writeth, that accor∣ding to the reuelation which he had,* 1.7 he went to Ierusalem, and conferred the Gospell which he preached, with the visible Church and ordinary Pastors of the same, least he might seeme to haue runne, or laboured in vaine: they therefore who refuse the approba∣tion of the visible Church, albeit they be neuer so extraordinarily called ther∣unto, they doe but labour in vayne.

5. The second argument▪ We m••st not easily beleeue euery one who affir∣meth himselfe to be extraordinarily sent by God,* 1.8 according to that admonition of S. Iohn. Belieue not euery spirit, but proue the spirits whether they be of God▪ because many false Prophets are gone out into the world. But this

proofe or triall cannot be better done then by Christs Church, which, is as S. Paul writeth,* 1.9 the pillar, and ground of truth. The which also S. Iohn clearly sheweth by the words following, when he sayth, he that knoweth God heareth vs, he that is not of God,* 1.10 heareth vs not: in this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. It is therefore a most certayne rule whereby this extraor∣dinary vocation is examined, to de∣maund, whether it will submit it selfe to the approbation of the visible Church, and will heare her or no? For he who heareth the Church, hath the spirit of truth, and the true extraordinary voca∣tion, but he who will not heare the Church, hath the spirit of error and the false extraordinary vocation.

6. The third argument. The holy Ghost neuer contradicteth himselfe, for otherwise (which God forbid) he should not be the spirit of truth, but of falshood for truth is neuer repugnant to truth but to falshood: seeing that therfore it is ma∣nifest that the ordinary vocation is from the holy Ghost, that extraordinary can∣not be opposit vnto it which is truly from the holy Ghost. For otherwise God should be opposit vnto himselfe, which were impiety to thinke; wherfore it ne∣cessarily

followeth, that the extraordi∣nary vocation must agree with the ordi∣dinary, and be subiect vnto it, as also it must establish and confirme, but not impugne it.* 1.11 Hereupon sayth the Apo∣stle, the spirits of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets: if they be subiect to the Prophets, much more to the whole Church of Christ.

7. The fourth argument. There would arise a greate confusion in the Church of God, if euery one were per∣mitted to preach and administer the Sa∣craments, that should affirme himselfe to be extraordinarily called without any other examine or approbation of the Church. For so euery phantasticall fel∣low might freely bragge and affirme himselfe to be extraordinarily called by God. And vnder that pretence and title might preach, administer the Sacraments and exercise all other Ecclesiasticall offices.* 1.12

8. By these arguments some more learned amongst our Aduersaries being conuinced, do acknowledge, that all ex∣traordinary vocation should be examined and approued by the ordinary Pastors of Christs Church.* 1.13 But they adde moreouer that this is true when the Church it selfe

followeth the word of God, and as long as the ordinary vocation remaineth in her. But in vayne do they adde these con∣ditions,* 1.14 because we haue already proued that the true Church alwayes followeth the word of God, nor can departe or de∣cline in any sort from it. For otherwise she were not the true Church of God, but the Sinagogue of Satan. And the Apostle also expresly saith, that the ordinary voca∣tiō of Pastors & their continuall successiō shall remayne alwayes in the Church of God vntill we meete all with Christ in the end of the world.* 1.15 By which wordes of the Apostle Caluin also and Beza being conuinced do confesse, that there must al∣waies be Pastors and Doctors in the Church of God, and that the said Church cannot consist without them. The same also their confession made at Rochell ac∣knowledgeth in the 25. article.

9. Some of our Aduersaries doe heere obiect vnto vs the example of Christ and his Apostles, for, say they, their do∣ctrine was neuer approued by the aunciēt Church of the Iewes, whereas notwith∣standing it was extraordinary. But this is a very friuolous and odious comparisō of Christ and his Apostles with their mi∣nisters. For it was expressely foretould

by the Prophets that Christ was to abr••∣gate the old Law, and the carnal voca∣tion and succession thereof,* 1.16 and that he was to ordayne another more excellent and spirituall, the which he effected in∣deed. Wherefore seing that now the A∣postles had another farre more excellent vocation instituted by Christ, there was no reason they should aske any vocation from Moyses. But we read no where that the vocation ordayned by Christ was to be abrogated by any other whosoeuer▪ but contrarywise the holy Scriptures do plainly teach that the vocation ordayned by Christ should endure till the end of the world:* 1.17 wherefore our Aduersaries can proue nothing by this argument, vnlesse they will bring in, and establish another Messias, and a new Law-maker, who hath authority to abrogate and chaunge the law and vocation of Christ, which is the blasphemy of both Turkes and Iewes.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ad Rom. 10. v. 15. Ad Hebr. 3. v. 4. & 5.
• * 1.2

  Psal. 2. v. 7.
• * 1.3

  ad Gal. 1. v. 1.
• * 1.4

  Ad Galat. ••. v. 1.
• * 1.5

  Act. 9. v. 7.
• * 1.6

  Act. 13. v. ••.
• * 1.7

  v. 1. & 2.
• * 1.8

  v. Ioan. 4. ••. 1.
• * 1.9

  ••. ad Tim. 3. v. 15.
• * 1.10

  1. Ioan. 4. v. ••.
• * 1.11

  1. ad Cor. 14. v. 32.
• * 1.12

  Calu. l. 4. Inst. cap. 3. sect. 14. Beza c. 5. suae confess.
• * 1.13

  Artic. 28. Bulling. decad. 5. Serm. 4.
• * 1.14

  Supra••c. prcedent▪ ad Ephes. 4. v. 12. & 13.
• * 1.15

  Calu. & Beza in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 verba ad Ephes. I∣tem Calu. l. 4. Inst. c. 3. sect. 4. in Art. 25.
• * 1.16

  Ierem. 31. v. 31. & 3••. Isaiae ••. v. ••. 10. Malach. 2. v. 10. 11. Pal 109. v. 4. ad Heb. 7. v. 18. & cap. 8. v. 8. 23.
• * 1.17

  Matth. 28. v. vlt. Ad Ephes. 4. v. 2. & ••3.